Cafe Monte Bello hosted its 10th First Friday Game Night Oct. 3 at 5 p.m. where attendees engaged in an evening of board games and fellowship.
While the event had a slow start, people started to stream in as the night went on, enjoying a drink and a friendly game of chess in the evening air. The cafe also offered drinks, pastries, local art and merchandise.
One attendee local to Lynchburg said he appreciated the sense of community that comes with the monthly event.
“I love the staff, and the coffee is good too,” said James, an employee who lives in the same building as the cafe. “I work a lot, so it gives me a good reason to meet different people, which is always a luxury.”
Liberty University alumna Bailey Robinson and her husband, Andrew, opened the cafe in September 2024, establishing themselves as a one-stop shop for coffee, pastries, merchandise, local art and local honey. According to their website, Cafe Monte Bello operates with a passion for specialty coffee and a love to serve. Robinson also said the cafe has been hosting the game night since December 2024.
Robinson said Cafe Monte Bello tends to have a more relaxed environment during the First Friday event, but the number of attendees has grown over the past few months.
“The prior two months, we’ve had over 10-12 people come. All the tables are full,” Robinson said. “People were playing chess and stuff, which was really, really cool.”
First Fridays is a monthly initiative in Downtown Lynchburg on the first Friday of each month from 5-8 p.m. The event highlights spaces promoting community art, dining and other activities. During the event, participating businesses that typically close early, like Cafe Monte Bello, reopen for these nightly events. Cafe Monte Bello is a newcomer to the nearly decade-long running event.
“We hold it after hours so more people in the building can come, and also I feel like (on) First Fridays, the evening is more of the timeline because people usually tend to walk to the academy and stuff like that and it’s usually after work hours,” Robinson said.
For a local business to be included in the First Friday events in Downtown Lynchburg, the business has to contact the Downtown Lynchburg Association. Several other businesses and organizations participate — the Academy Center of the Arts, the Lynchburg Art Club and more — and events are listed on the Downtown Lynchburg Association’s website.
Cafe Monte Bello is located in Downtown Lynchburg at 828 Main St., Suite 302. For the cafe’s menu and other event information, visit www.cafe-montebello.com. For more information on First Fridays in Downtown Lynchburg, visit www.jamesriverarts.net/firstfridays.
Ruyack and Wittenhagen are news writers for the Liberty Champion.